Rubio hit Trump for having been fined years ago for having employed unauthorized workers, which is fine but there's no way he can get to Trump's right on the underlying issue of immigration. Rubio needled Trump about how repetitive and uninterested in policy detail he is, and clearly got under his skin. He hit him for being insufficiently fanatical in his devotion to Israel, and his opposition to universal health care. He brought up the ignominious failure of Trump University. He was up-tempo, ad-libbed a little, and generally lifted the spirits of Republicans who've been annoyed or horrified by Trump's rise.

But at this point Trump already has a commanding lead in the polls. And from the standpoint of someone who's already bought in to the idea of President Trump, it's not clear what these attacks amount to.

N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore said Thursday he’s exploring a possible special legislative session to deal with a controversial provision of Charlotte’s expanded nondiscrimination ordinance.

Moore and others object to the so-called bathroom provision that would allow transgender people to use the restroom of their choice, depending on the gender with which they identify.

In an email to GOP lawmakers, he said, “the recent radical actions of the Charlotte City Council … pose a real danger to public safety concerning the sexual identity and bathroom matters … If we do not act, the Charlotte ordinance will go into effect on April 1.”

The General Assembly’s short session is scheduled to convene April 25.

Whether in a special session or regular session, Moore predicted lawmakers will deal with the provision in a statewide bill. That would prevent other cities from adopting similar ordinances.

Progress N.C. Action filed a second complaint with the state Board of Elections on Thursday, claiming that a campaign video featuring state Rep. Ken Goodman supporting the bond proposal violates the law.

The liberal advocacy group filed a complaint the previous day accusing Gov. Pat McCrory of impermissably mixing his re-election campaign with a pro-bond committee, which resulted in corporate contributions funding part of a TV commercial. It is illegal for candidates to accept money from corporations. Like McCrory, Goodman, a Democrat from Rockingham, is running for re-election.

With all the voter distrust of Washington felt around the country, I’m asking that any candidate for Speaker of the House, majority leader, and majority whip withdraw himself from the leadership election if there are any misdeeds he has committed since joining Congress that will embarrass himself, the Republican Conference, and the House of Representatives if they become public.

So it’s no surprise, then, that Ellmers’ husband cut a check to Taylor Griffin, who is trying to primary Jones, a twenty-year incumbent. Only Griffin doesn’t want her money.

A North Carolina Republican trying to unseat a longtime congressman has said thanks, but no thanks to a $500 campaign contribution from U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers’ husband.

Brent Ellmers, a surgeon from Dunn, N.C., contributed the money online to Taylor Griffin’s campaign on the last day of the 2015 fund-raising year, according to financial disclosures filed by the candidate with the Federal Election Commission.

Griffin is running against 10-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Walter Jones in the upcoming 3rd Congressional District Republican primary. Ellmers, a Republican, is seeking a fourth term in a crowded primary that includes Republican Rep. George Holding, who now represents North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District.

Griffin says he promptly returned Brent Ellmers’ $500 credit-card donation and told Ellmers he appreciates his support but doesn’t want any campaign contributions from sitting members of Congress, or their spouses.

“I don’t want to go into Congress having aligned with one set of congressmen or one particular point of view or another,” Griffin told McClatchy this week in an interview.